Bench overturns registrar's rejection of Akram's appeal on passport seizure

A bench of the High Court has overturned the decision of the court’s registrar to reject an appeal filed by former State Minister of Housing Akram Kamaluddin regarding the seizure of his passport.

The passport was seized on two occasions by the Criminal Court in relation to alleged corruption under the previous administration’s Binveriya and Gedhoruveriya housing schemes.

The appeal submitted by Akram was initially not registered by the High Court registrar on the grounds that the matter could be reviewed by the Criminal Court itself.

Akram then filed an appeal at the High Court, requesting a review of the registrar’s decision. The majority ruling by Justices Dheebanaz Fahmy and Huzaifa Mohamed overturned the registrar’s decision. However, Justice Mohamed Shaniz Abdulla dissented, stating that such matters fall under the jurisdiction of the lower court and should be reviewed there first.

Shaniz Abdulla’s opinion held that disputes regarding the basis of a lower court’s order should be addressed through that same court before being escalated to an appellate court. He further noted that exhausting such options would not forfeit the right to appeal, but rather provide a clearer path forward.

Akram has argued that the evidence presented to justify the passport seizure—including bank records and travel history submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)—does not demonstrate any attempt to flee the Maldives or avoid the investigation.

He also stated that he has cooperated with all stages of the investigation and continues to respond to the allegations. More than a year after the inquiry began, Akram has maintained that no sufficient evidence has been found to press charges, nor has new evidence been submitted to the court.